The World Health Organization's 192 member states on Friday committed themselves to promptly report any human cases of bird flu to build defenses against a possible pandemic. New international health regulations, due to come into force for all infectious diseases from June 2007, were brought forward by a year on a voluntary basis for bird flu in light of growing concerns about the fast-spreading virus. Experts fear that the H5N1 strain of bird flu, which has already killed 124 people in ten countries, could trigger a global pandemic if it mutates to pass easily between humans. The WHO rules, first agreed upon last year, ask countries to disclose any event "that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern." Previous regulations had covered only cholera, plague, yellow fever and smallpox. ... http://abcnews.go.com

The Senate yesterday easily approved an immigration bill that allows 10 million illegal aliens to become citizens, doubles the flow of legal immigration each year and will cost U.S. taxpayers an estimated $54 billion over the next 10 years. The leaders of both parties hailed the 62-36 passage as a historic success. Majority Leader Bill Frist said the vote represented the "very best" of the Senate. "This is a success for the American people," the Tennessee Republican said. "It is a success for people who hope to participate someday in that American dream." Four Democrats Sens. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, Byron L. Dorgan of North Dakota, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan joined 32 of the chamber's 55 Republicans, including several members of the GOP leadership, to vote against the bill. Three of the four Democrats who opposed the bill face voters in November. Opponents said that the Senate is ignoring clear public will and that the bill would have disastrous ...http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060525-115532-3946r.htm

A powerful bomb exploded Friday in an outdoor market in a majority Shiite part of east Baghdad, killing at least nine people and wounding 30, police said, as Iraq's prime minister expressed hope two key security posts could be filled within days. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki planned to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki later Friday, a day after the Iraqi leader said he may soon be ready to name the two men who will be charged with carrying out his pledge to take over security for Iraq within 18 months.The initial focus of the effort will be restoring order for the capital's more than 5 million residents, who have suffered the most from suicidal killers, roadside bombs and sectarian death squads....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,197097,00.html

Storms packing strong winds, rain and hail blew a semitrailer off a highway, flattened a barn and knocked out power to thousands in Ohio with service to some homes in the Cincinnati area not expected to be restored until Saturday evening. No serious injuries were reported in Thursday night's storms that uprooted trees and stripped roofs off some buildings. Downed trees were reported in Cincinnati, Springfield and Columbus, where winds reached 60 mph, said Brian Coniglio, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Light poles were blown down in London, west of Columbus, Coniglio said. No people or animals were injured when the wind leveled a barn near Sidney in western Ohio, the Shelby County sheriff's office said. In northwest Ohio, the semitrailer was blown off the road near Woodville, but no one was injured. Also in Sandusky County, roofs were blown off a car wash and a storage building, and falling trees damaged three homes in Clyde. ...http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/2006-05-26-ohio-storms_x.htm?csp=34

Three Taliban militants and two policemen were killed in a clash in southwestern Afghanistan on Friday, a provincial official said.The clash erupted after guerrillas ambushed a convoy of police in Ghazni province, southwest of the capital Kabul. "The clash lasted for several hours. We have reports of at least three Taliban and two police deaths," said Abdul Wakil Kamiyab, a senior police official. He did not have further details. Afghanistan is witnessing its worst spell of violence since U.S. and Afghan opposition forces ousted the Taliban in late 2001 after they refused to hand over Osama bin Laden. Nearly 300 people have been killed in a series of battles, ambushes and bombings since last week, according to the U.S. military and Afghan officials. ...http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2008431

The U.S. Capitol was briefly locked down on Friday as police investigated the sound of gunfire in the garage of a House of Representatives office building, officials said. The sounds were heard in the garage level of the Rayburn building, which houses offices of members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The lockdown barred people from entering or leaving Capitol buildings.Police said there was a firing range two floors away from the garage and the Rayburn building and tunnels below the Capitol remained closed during the police investigation.Police planned a news conference for noon EDT (1600 GMT).Senate Sergeant at Arms Bill Pickle told Reuters there were no reports of any arrests or injuries though several ambulances were brought to the scene."We have been told by staff of shots fired and the smell of smoke," Pickle said. He later raised the possibility that a firecracker might have been the cause....http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060526/pl_nm/congress_gunfire_dc